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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1915)
rsrflk fPHiH T H f ARKINGTON The Greatest Stories Ever Written of a Real Boy anil His Escapades 3 AN OVERWHELMING SATURDAY HE "Worst Boy In Town' (popu lation 135,000) emerged nasmy tho kitchen door of his father's house one scented morning in apple-blossom time. His pockets bulged abnormally; so did hla cheeka. and he swallowed with difficulty ' A threatening mop. wielded by a cook-like arm in a checkered sleeve, followed him through the doorway, and lie was preceded by a small, hurried, wistful dos with a warm doughnut in his mouth. The kitchen door slammed petulantly, inclosing the sore voice of the cook, whereupon Penrod Schofleld and Duke seated themselves upon the pleasant sward and Immediately con sumed the spoils of their raid. From trie cross street which formed the side boundary of the Schoflelds' ample yard came a Jingle of harness and the cadenced clatter of a pair of trotting horses and Penrod. looking up. beheld the passing of a fat acquaint ance torpid amid the conservative splendors of a rather old-fashioned vic toria. . This was Roderick Magsworth Bltts. Jr a fellow sufferer at the Friday Af ternoon Dancing Class, but otherwise not often a companion; a home-sheltered lad. tutored privately and pre served against the coarsening Influ ences of rude comradeship and miscel laneous Information. Heavily over, grown in all physical dimensions, vir tuous and placid, this cloistered mutton was wholly uninteresting to Penrod Echofleld. Nevertheless. Roderick Mags worth Bltts. Jr, was a personage on account of the Importance of the Mags worth Bitts family; and It was Pen rod's destiny to Increase Rodericks celebrity far. far beyond its present aristocratic limitations. The Magsworth Bittses were Impor tant because they were Impressive; there was no other reason. And they were Impressive because they believed thmselves Important. The adults of th family were lmpregnably formal: they dressed with reticent elegance and wore the same nose and the same expression an expression which Indicated that they knew something exquisite tfnd sacred which other people could never know. Other people, in their presence, were apt to feel mysteriously Ignoble and to become secretly uneasy about ancestors, gloves and pronunciation. In fact, this painful family had for years terrorised the community, though the community had never realised that it was terrorlied. and Invariably spoke of the family as the "most charming circle in town." By common consent. Mrs. Roderick Magsworth Bltts offi ciated as the supreme model as well critlc-ln-chlef of morals and deport ment for all the unlucky people . pros perous enough to be elevated to her acquaintance. Magsworth was the Important part of the name. Mrs. Roderick Magsworth Bitts was a Magsworth born, herself, and the Magsworth crest (over a coro net) decorated not only Mrs. Mags worth Bitts- note paper, but was on the china, on the table linen, on the chimney-pieces, on the opaque glass of the front door, on the victoria harness, though omitted from the gar den hose and the lawn mower. Naturally no sensible person dreamed of connecting that Illustrious crest with the unfortunate and notorious Rena Magsworth. whose name baa crown week by week Into larger and larger type upon the front pages ot newspapers, owing to the sraduaUy increasing public and official belief that she had poisoned a family of eight. However, the statement that no sensible perjon could have c""V ed the MagsWftrth Bitts family with the arsenical Rena takes no account of renrod SchoQeld. Penrod never missed a murder, a hanging or an lectro,cuUo" '"' newspapers; he knew almost as much about Rena Magsworth as her Jurymen did. though they sat In a courtroom 200 rules away and he had It in frank he was to ask Roderick Mags worth Bitts. Jr., if the murderess hap pened to be a relatives The present encounter, being merely one of apathetic greeting, did not afford the opportunity. Penrod took off h s cap Roderick, seated between his mother and one of bis grown-up sis ters nodded sluggishly, but neither Mrs' Magsworth Bltts nor her daughter acknowledged the salutation of the boy m the yard. They disapproved of him as a person of little consequence and that little bad. Snubbed. Penrod thoughtfully restored his cap to his head. A boy can be cut as effectual- ly as s a man and this one was :..." low temperature. anlrita of VOUth. D.OW- to The ! r.vlred. Delia, the COOK, depositing upon the back porch a large rat trap from the cellar, the prison of lour live rats, awaiting execution. Penrod at once took possession, re tiring to the empty stable, where he in stalled the rats In a small wooden box w Ith a sheet of broken window-glass held down by a brickbat over the top. Thus the symptoms of tlieir agitation, when the box was shaken or hammered upon, could be studied at leisure. Sat urday was startirg splendidly. After a time the student's attention was drawn by a peculiar smell, which proved to be an emanation leaking Into the stable from the alley. He opened tiie back door. Across the alley was a cottage which a thrifty neighbor had built on the rear line of his lot and rented to negroes, and the'fact that a negro family was now is process of "moving In" was manifected by the presence of a thin mulo and a ramshackle wagon, the lat ter laden with the semblance of a stove and a few other unpretentious house hold articles. A very small darky boy stood near the mulo. In his hand was a rusty chain and at the end of the chain the delighted Penrod perceived the source of the special smell he was tracing a large raccoon. -Whits that 'coons name: asru IVnrod. intending no discourtesy. "Aim gommo ma me. said the smai dark v. "What?" The small darky looked annoyed. "Aim comma mame, I hell you,' he said impatiently. Penrod conceived that insult was in tended. "What's the matter of you?" he de manded, advancing." "You get fresh with me and I'll " "Hyuh. white boy!" A colored youth of Penrod's own age appeared in the doorway of the cottage, "You let 'at brothuh mine alone. He ain't do nothin' to you." "Well, why can't he answer?" "He can't. He can't talk no better'n what he was talkin'. He tongue-tie."" "Oh," said Penrod, mollified. Then he turned to the afflicted one. "Talk some more." he begged eager ly. "I hoe you ackoom aim gommo mame," was the prompt response. "What's he mean?" asked Penrod, enchanted. , "He says he tole you 'at "coon aln" got no name." "What's your name?" Tm name Herman." "What's his name?" Penrod pointed to the tongue-tied boy. "Verman." "What?" "Verman. Was three us boys In ow fam'ly. Ol'est one name Sherman. 'N'en come me; I'm Herman. 'N'en come him; he Verman. Sherman dead. Verman, he de littles' one." "You goln' to live here?" "TJmhun. Done move In f'm way outen on a fahm." He pointed to the north with his right hand, and Penrod's eyes opened wide as they followed the gesture. Herman bad no forefinger on that hand. "Look there!" exclaimed Penrod. "You haven't got any finger!" "I mum map," said Herman, with egregious pride. He done 'if, Interrupted Herman, chuckling. "Yessuh; done chop 'er sprang off, long 'go. He's a playin' wtf a ax an I lay my finguh on de do'-sill an' I say. 'Verman, chop "er off!' So Verman he chop 'er right sprang off up to de roots! Yessuh." "What for?" "Jes fo' nothin'." "He hoe me hoo." remarked Verman. "Yesuh. I tole him to," said Herman, "an' he chop 'er off, an' 'ey ain't airy oth' one evuh grow on wheres do ole one use to grow. Nosuh!" Both brothers looked pleased and proud. Penrod's profound interest was flatteringly visible, a tribute to their unusualness. "Verman say tell you 'bout pappy, eontlnued Herman. "Mammy move in town an' go git de house all fix up befo' pappy git out." "Out of where?" "Jail. Pappy cut a man, an' de police done kep' him In Jail evuh since Chris'-mus-tlrae. but dey doln' tuhn him loose ag'ln nex' week." - "What 'd he cut the other man witnT asked Penrod breathlessly. "Wif a pltohfawk." Penrod began to feel that a lifetime spent with this fascinating family were all too short. The brothers, glowing with amiability, were as enraptured as he. For the first time in their lives they moved in the rich glamor of sen sationalism. Herman was prodigal ot gesture with his. right hand: and Ver man. chuckling with delight, talked fluently. They cheerfully agreed to keep the raccoon already beginning to be mentioned as "our 'coon" by Pen rod In Mr. Schofleld's empty stable, and when the animal had been chained to the wall near the box of rats, they assented to their new friend's sugges tion that the heretofore nameless pet be christened Sherman, in honor of their deceased relative. At this Juncture was heard from the front yard the sound of that yodellng which Is the peculiar accomplishment of those whose voices have not "changed." Penrod yodeled a response; and Mr. Samuel Williams, a close com rade, aged eleven, appeared, a large bundle under his arm. "Yay, Penrod!" was his greeting, casual enough from without; but, hav ing entered, he stopped short and emitted a prodigious whistle. "Ya-a-ay!" he then shoUteC i "Look at the 'coon!" "I guess you better say, 'Look at the coon!'", returned Penrod proudly. "They's a good deal more'n him to look at. too. Talk some, Verman." Verman complied. , Sam was 'warmly Interested. "What a you say his name was?" he asked. "Verman." "Oh!" said Sam. "Point to something. Herman," Pen rod commanded, and Sam's excitement, when Herman pointed, was sufficient to the occasion. Penrod. the discoverer, continued his exploitation of the manifold wonders of the Sherman. Herman and Verman col lection, and proceeded to a dramatic climax the recital of the episode of the pitchfork and its consequences. The cumulative effect was enormous, and could have but one possible result. "Let's get up a SHOW!" The bundle under Sam's arm, brought with unsettled purposes, proved to have been an inspiration, it consisted of broad sheets of light-yellow wrapping paper, discarded by Sam's mother in her Spring house-cleaning. There were half-filled cans and buckets of paint in the storeroom adjoining the carriage house, and presently the side wall, of the stable flamed Information upon the passer-by from a great and spreading poster. Subsequent arrangements proceeded with a fury of energy which trans formed the empty hayloft. An Interpre tation of the spiral, inclining to whites and greens, was brllltantly effective upon the dark facial backgrounds of Herman and Verman: and the counte nances of Sam and Penrod were each supplied with the black mustache and Imperial, lacking which no professional showman can be esteemed conscientious. Duke and Sherman were secured to the rear wall ot the loft a considerable dis tance from each other. Benches were improvised for spectators; the rats were THE SUNDAY OREGOyiAXv PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 21, 1915 "WHAT'S THAT COOV brought up; finally the rafters, corn crib and hay-chute were ornamented with flags and strips of bunting from Sam Williams' attic, Sam returning from the excursion accompanied (on ac count of a rope) by a fine dachshund encountered on the highway, and the entire party went forth to add an en riching line to the poster. They found a group of .seven, Includ ing two adults, already gathered In the street to read and admire this work. SCHoFiELD & WlLLIams BIO SHOW ADMISSION I CENT oR 20 PiNS Now going on SHERMAN HERMAN & VERMAN THEili FATHER IN JAIL ST ABED A MAN WITH A PITCHFORK SHERMAN THE WILD ANIMAL CAPTURED IN AFRICA HERMAN THE ONE FINGERED TA TOOD WILD MAN VERMAN THE SAVAGE TATOOD WILD BoY TALKS ONLY IN HIS NAITIVB LANGUAGS. Do NoT FAIL TO SEE DUKE THE INDIAN DOO ALSO THE MICHIGAN TRAINED RATS. Penrod, with pardonable self-importance In the presence of an audience now Increased to nine slowly painted the words Inspired by the dachshund: IMPoRTENT Do NoT Miss THE south American dog part alli gator. After which Sam, Penrod, Herman and Verman withdrew in considerable state from non-paying view, and, repairing to the hay-loft, declared the exhibition open to the public Oral proclamation was made by Sam, and then the loiter ing multitude wasenticed by the seduc tive strains of a band: the two partners performing upon combs and paper, Her man and Verman upon tin pans with sticks. The effect was immediate. Visitors appeared upon the stairway and sought admission. Herman and Verman took positions among the exhibits, near the wall. Sam stood at the entrance, officiating as barker and ticket-seller; while Pen rod, with debonair suavity, acted as curator, master of ceremonies and leo turer. He greeted the first to enter with a courtly bow. They consisted of Miss Rennsdale, aged 8, and her nur sery governess, and they paid spot cash for their admission. Miss Rennsdale and governess were followed by Mr. Georgia Basset and sister (Georgle being an almost perfect character) and six or seven other neighborhood children a most satisfac tory audience. "Uen-til-mun and lay-deeae." shout ed Penrod, "I will first call your at-tain-shon to our genuine South Amer ican dog, part alligator!" He pointed to the dai-hshund, and added. In his ordinary tone, "That's him." Straight way reassiimlng the character of show man, he bellowed: "Nest you see Duke, the genuine, full-blooded Indian dog from the Far Western plains and Rocky Mountains. Next, the trained Michigan rats, captured way up there, and trained to Jump and run all around the box at the at the a$ the slightest pretext. "At the slightest pre-text," he re peated, and continued, suiting the ac tion to the word: "I will now hammer upon the box and each and all may see these genuine full-blooded Michi gan rats perform at the slightest pre text. There! (That's all they do now, but I and Sam are goln' to train them lots more before this afternoon.) "Gen-til-mun and laydeeze, I will kindly, now call your at-tain-shon to Sherman, the wild animal from Africa, costing the lives of the wild trapper and many of his companions. Next let me kindly interodoos Herman and Verman. Their father got mad and stuck his pitchfork right inside of An other man, exactly as promised upon the advertisements outside the big tenL and got put in Jail. Look at them well, gen-til-niun and laydeeze, there Is no S JVAMET" ASKED PENROD. INTENDING NO DISCOURTESY. extra charge, and re-mem-bur. you are And then Verman spake and Penrod each and alt now looking .at two wild, was forgotten. Marjorle's eye rested tattooed men which the father of Is in upon him no more. -Jail Point Herman. Each and all of A heavily equipped chauffeur ascend vou wm have a chance to see. Point ed the stairway, bearing the message Last on the programme, gen-til-mun the last sound permitted (by the man !Ti....a w. have Verman. the aj-ers) to Issue from Verman. Mr Levy Bovao- tnrf-nnad wild boy tattooed wJld boy. that can t speak only the native foreign lan guages. Talk some, Verman." Verman obliged and made an ln- . ' ... w: tta wnH Ancored rap- Biaiiiaiivvua ...v. - turously. again and again; and. thrill InTwlth :,. Plr. of ' oelng iran. .understood at the same time, would have taiaea au-u-jr k tnn riavnv. Sam Williams, how ever, with: a true showman's foresight, whispered to Penrod, who rang down on the monologue. "n-n.tii.mnn and lay-deeze, this y-aeeze, cuio closes our pufformance. -ray paw admission. News quietly and with as little Jotllng Hg nd ... of Curi possible. As soon as you are all out of the B , Show d there's goin' to be a new pufformance coW spaces Interstellar niceness; for and each and all are welcome at the oM spaces or n nQ la- same price of admission. Re-mem-ber Nths new patron Junlof the price Is only on. cent, the tenth ..Ballor ult.. from - . . . parL oi a - taken. Pray pass out quietly and witn as little Jostling as posslole. The sclio fleld and Williams Military Band will play before each performance, and each play before each performance, ana . and all are welcome for the same and Dttiijyio w w w nrfrA Af a Amission. All of the first audience returnea. most of them having occupied the in- terval In, hasty excursions lor more pins. And the thiVd performance found all or the same inveterate patrons once xrvore crowding the auditorium. and seven recruits added. From the first there was no ques- tion which feature of the entertain- ment was the attraction extraordinary, VermanVerman. the savage WUU UUy, vtj -- . eign languages Verman was a tri umph! Beaming, wreathed In smiles, ,.iiiiiii incredibly fluent, he had but to open his lips and a dead hush fell a ueua iiupu upon the audience. Breathless, tney leaned forward, hanging upon his every semi-syllable, and when Penrod checked the flow, burst Into thunders of applause, which Verman received with happy laughter. The climax of his popularity came during the fifth overture of the Scho- Held and Williams Military Band, whon ... .. the music was quite drowned itf the at- u.tpH r In mora of Miss Kennsaaie. wno was endeavoring to ascend the stairs in spite of the physical dissuasion of her governess. "I won't go horn to lunch!" screamed Miss" Rennsdale. her voice accompanied by a sound of ripping- "I will hear the by a sound of ripping. "I will hear the tattooed wild boy talk some more! Its lovely I will hear him talk! I wllU I will! I want to listen to verman i want to I want to" Wutling, she was borne away of her sex not the first to be fascinated by obscurity, or the last to champion Its eloquence. The first performance of the after noon rivaled the successes of the morn inir and although Miss Rennsdale was detained at nome, inus ui-jms "f."" fnirl source of cash Income developed ..jIm . v. before lunch, little Maurice Levy ap- peared escorting beautiful Marjorie Jones, and paid coin for two admis- sinne ifrnnnlnir the money into Sam's - sions. dropping the money mio am a hand with a careless nay, a contemp tuous gesture. At sight of Marjorie, Penrod Scho fleld flushed under his new mustache (repainted since noon) and lectured as i.. v.oVi npvpr lectured before. A new - coula you ue a j - , -- grace invested his every gesture; a new etarlng at Roderick. He had suddenly sonorousness rang in his vpice; a sim- rernembered his intention . to ask Rod pie and manly pomposity marked his crick Magsworth bitts about very walk as he passed from curio to Rena ; and Jh.- reeoLec Ion curio. And when he fearlessly handled ddlnb,,Ronder,cII'B claiming nome - ' ' with cool insouciance, he beheld for mm -. - . the first time in his life a purl of ad- me nri. L 1 1 " ' . : " ,1 ..! r-r In Xfnrlnrtfi'fl IvaIv miration ye, a certain softening of that eye. and Miss Jones departea to a re. in., nt u. real theater, the limpid eyes of MaiJorie looking back softly over her shoulder but only at the tattooed wild boy. urtnr this. Derhaps because of sated curiosity, perhaps ou account of . p.. famine, the -tendance begantojan- """V' , , , th K.mi niavad in vain. About 3 o'clock Schofleld and Will lams were gloomily discussing various unpromising devices for startling the ij i4,j - - - public into a renewal or inioresi. o nut hur nRLron uiie.icv j " t1 the Manor during a period of severe maternal and tutorial preoccupation. He seated himself without parley, and the pufformance was offered for his en- ::;t;,nment with admirable conscian tainment ; . w ii.,...u True to the Lady Clara caste and training. Roderick's pale', fat face hlnK except an Impervious . cold and un- ' the front bench like a "Zm tt must.be said that law. ' J'mg audiance "to J. .d. 'ot? however, unre- -oonslve far from it. He offered com- "877chlUins t0 the warm grandil- ment hs my urle Ethe.bert's dachs- .... he remarked. at the beginning of the lecture. "You better take mm back if you don't want to get arrested." "My papa would buy me a lots better 'eoon than that." was the Information , . iatar "only vn iini t.f. ruu cl i.fcw .. - , - - want the nasty old thing." .confident in his own singular v chucUled openly at the failure v attractions to charm the vIait0r, and, when his turn came, OUred forth a torrent of conversation P 8tralBhtway dBmmed. aald Ur BUU ianguidly. "I ' better show than this nand ..- ..iir.ii .v..t wnulil vou have In your old show?" asked Penrod, condescend ing to language. "That's all right, what I'd have. Id have enough!" Well, what would you nave.' inmn. Penrod derisively. "You'd have. to .Umpthlns: you think you could be have sumpthins: you think you could be a show all by yourself?" aemanaea rS..- rod. "How do you know I couldn't? Two white boys and two black boys shrieked their scorn of the boaster. "I could, too!" Roderick raised his voice to4a sudden howl, obtaining a hearing. v, "Well, then, how'd you be a showr t, ,um.n,!ed. "We got a show i tlll tJi. --' .... . nere even if Herman aiun i puiuc ,,.' jMt talk. Their father veriita.ii - grabbed a man with a pitchfork,' I d,dnt he?.. HoW do i know?" T ..,,,.- i,.-a in lail. ain guess. .Trii t cvhoks he's in Jail, ain t fie: "Well' what if their father is in Jail? didn't say he wasn't did I?" "Well, your father ain't in Jail, is he. said he was, did I?" 'Well, then." continued Pernod, how ' UA etnntirl nbrllDtlV mvsterious a-l.'1"""'", "rrant his setting up which would as a show wariciui. . . " hia single person. Penrod 3 whole man- n : a uin&rc j- VinnCArl i T"l S t U II 1 1 V. -- i, .,,1 "Roddy,' he aeked, ulmost over , mbsWsssss I whelmed by a prescience ot some thing vast and magnificent. "Roddy, are you any relation of Rena Mags worth?" Roderick had never heard of Rena Magsworth. although a concentration of the sentence yesterday pronounced upon her'had burned, black and hor rific, upon the face of every newspaper in the country, lie was not allowed to read the Journals ot the day, and his . family's indignation over the sucrl liglous coincidence of the name hd not been expressed In his presence. But he aw that It was an awesome name to Penrod Schofleld and Samuel Will iams. Even Herman and Verman were Informed on the subject of Rena Mags worth through hearsay, and they Joined In the portentious silence. Roddy." repeated Penrod. "holiest. Is Rena Magsworth some relation of your?" There, is no obsession more dangerous to its victims thun a conviction es pecially an Inherited one of superior ity. From hia earliest years Roderick Magsworth Bitts, Junior. hd beon trained to believe In the importance of the Magsworth lamuy. jm eeijr absorbed a sense 01 j-.br.--.vm greatness. And yet. in his infrequent meetings with persons of his own iiid sex, he was ireaieu "es. " DOW, U 1 1 1 1 1 . w I'.'"""- was a Magsworth claim of some sort . v... ....iv.H th.t there which was impassive, even iu . . . . i .1 . . 1 1 T.n rr rl . IU i H With nouu. oniu u - w . solemnity, "is Rena Magsworth some relation or yours; "Is she, Roddy? asked sera, annum hoarsely. She's my aunt!" shouted Koaay. n. ...li.. 1 Uom B ml PillirOd. silence iuiu'n tu. - spellbound, gazed upon Hodurick Mags worth Bltts, junior, co uui ." -and Verman. Roddy's staggering lie had char.god the face of things utterly. ..n . . . . . i a xyrA In VOlce rtouaj, nnm tremulous with hope, "Roddy, will you Join our show?" Koaay jomeu. Even he could see tftat the offer Im plied his being, starred as the para mount attraction of a new order of things. 'It was obvious that ho had swelled out suddenly. In the estimation of the other boys, to that Importance which he had been taught to believe his native gift and natural right. The sensation was pleasant. He hsd often been treated with effusion by grown-up callers and by acquaintances of his mother and sUtors. and little girls had sometimes shown him defer ence, but until this moment no boy had ever allowed him., for one moment, to presume ivon to equality. Now. In a trice, he was not only admitted to comradeship, but patently valued as something rare and sacred, to be nc claimed and pedestaled. In fact, the very first thing that Schofleld and Wllliais did was to find a box and a chair for him to sit on. The misgivings stlrfed in Roderick s bosom by the subsequent activities of the firm were not bothersome enougn to make him forego his prominence as Exhibit A. He was not a "qulck mlnded" boy and It was long (and much happened) before be thoroughly comprehended the causes of his new celebrity. He had a shadowy 'el'" that if the affair were heard of at home It might not be liked, but. Intoxl. cated by the glamouf and bustle which surrounds a public character, he made no protest. On the contrary, he entered whole-heartedly Into the preparations for the new show. Assuming, with Sam's assistance, a blue rt"h; "sideburns." he helped In the paint ng of a new poster, which. ui'P'" old one on the wall of the stable, screamed bloody murder at the passers In that rather populous thoroughfare. SCHoFiELD & WILLIAMS NEW BIG SHoW RODERICK MAGSWORTH BITTS JR ONLY LIVING NEPHEW OF RENA MAG8WORTH THE FAMOS MURDERESS GolNO To LE HUNG NEXT JULY KILED EIGHT PEOrLL PUTS ARSiNECK IN THEIr MILK ALSO SHERMAN HERMAN AND VER MAN THE MICHIGAN RATS DOG. PART ALLIGATOR DUKE THE GEN UINE InDlAN DoG. ADMlSSIon I CENT OR 20 PiNS SAME AS BEFORE Do Nor MISS THIS CHANCE TO SEE ROD ERICK ONLY LIVING NEPHEW oF RENA MAGSWORTH THE GREAT FAMOS MURDERESS GotNG To 13E HUNG Prosperity smiled again. The very first audience after the acquisition of Roderick was larger than the largest of the morning. Mr. Bltts-the only exhibit plaped upon a box-was a su percurlo. All eyes fastened upon him and remained. hungrily feasting, throughout Penrod's luminous oration. The second audience contained a cash-payir.g adult, a spectacled young man whose poignant attention was very flattering. He remained after the lec ture and put a few questions to Roddy, which were answered rather confused ly upon promptings from Penrod. I he young man went away without having stated the object of his Interrogations, but it became quite plain, later In the day. This same object caused the spec tacled young man to make several brief but unsatisfactory calls directly after leaving the Schofleld and Williams Big Show, and the consequences thereor loitered not by the wayside. The Big Show was nt high tide. Not only was the auditorium filled and throbbing; there was an Indubitable lineby no mean wholly Juvenile welting for admission to the next per formance. A group stood in the street examining the poster earnestly, and people In automobiles and other vehi cles had halted wheel in the street to read the message so plquantly given to the world. These were the conditions when a crested victoria arrived at a gallop, and a large, chastely magnifi cent and highly flushed woman de scended and progressed across the yard with an air of violence. At sight of her the adults of the wait ing line hastily disappeared, and most of the pausing vehicles moved instantly on their way. She was followed by a stricken man in livery. The etisirs to the auditorium wore narrow and sleep, and Mrs. Roderick Magsworth was a stout favor; the voice of Penrod was audible during "Re-mem-ber. gentilmun and lay deeae, each and all are now gn.lng upon Roderick Magsworth Bltts. Junior, the only living nephew of the great Rena MaBSWorth. She stuck runic tn the milk f rlaht irat ami distinct lel to l"'t I" their cof. fco and e.i'-h and all of 'em dl-d. Tlie ureal am-nlc murderous. Kena M.k'i worth, tonlilmiin and lay-d.exr. and Roddy's hr only llvln nephew. Khn's a relutlve of all the Hilts family, but he's her one and only living nephew. Romem-burt Next July she's goln" to be hung. and. each nd all. you now see before you" , lVnrod paused abruptly, neeliis: some thing before himself the niiKut and awful presence which filled the entry way. Before herself. Mrs. Roderick Mats worth Bltts saw her son ln-r i Ion wearing a mustache and sideburns of blue, with plenty of othrr colors upon him variously, and perched upon a box surrounded by Sherman and Viman, the Michigan rats, tho Indian Duke, Herman, and the Jng part alli sslor. Roddy, also, saw something before himself. It nveded no pr..liet to read the countenance of the dreu.1 aj'iwrl tlon In the entry way. His tuoullt oponrd ronialned open then lilled to capacity with a calamitous sound of grief not unmlngled with apprehen sion. Penrod's rtsson slagicertd under the crisis. For a horrible moment he saw Mrs. Roderick Maasworth Uitt ap proaching like some fatal mountain la avalanche. She seemed to Krow larger and redder; llghtnlncs played about her head: he had a vukuo conscious nass ot the audience iringing out In flight, of the tumult, squeallnss, tram pllngs, and dlsprrsals tf the Irlekea Held. The mountain was clofe upon him He stood by the open mouth of tho haychute which went throuah the floor to the manger below. Penrod aUo went through the finer. He propelled himself, into the chuto and shot down, but not quite to the maimer, for Mr. Samuol Williams had thoughtfully stepped Into the rhule In advance 'f his partner. I'e::rod lit upon ham. Catastrophic noises resounded In tho loft; volcanoes seemed to romp upnn the stairway. Then there endued a period when only a shrill keening marked the wake rf Roderick n lie was borne to the tum bril and then all alienee. Sunset, striking throiiKh a teter window, rouged the walls of the rVho flelds' library, where gathered a Joint family council and court martial of four Mrs. Schofleld. Mr. Schofleld and Mr. and Mra. Williams, parenta of Samuel of that Ilk. Mr. Williams read aloud a ronsplcuoua rasanEe from the laet edition of the evening paper. "Prominent people here believed close relations of woman sentenced to hang. Angry denial by Mrs. U. Maaworth Bltta. Relationship admitted by younger member of family. His state ment confirmed by hoy-frlends " "Don't!" said Mrs. Williams, address ing her husband vehemently. "We've all read It a dosen time. We've sot plenty of trouble on our hands without hearing that again!" Singularly enough, Mrs. Williams did not lotik troubled; slie looked aa If she were trying to look troubled. Mrs. Schofleld wore a similar expression, fo did Mr. Schofleld. So did Mr. William. "What did she say when she called you up?" Mrs. Schofleld Inquired breathleaaly of Mrs. Williams. "She could hardly speak at flrat, and then when ahe did talk, she talked so fast I couldn't understand mo.t of It. ami" "Delia sas there were Just streams going In and out all day." snld Mrs. Schofleld. "Of course It wouldn't have happened, but this Is tho day I spend every month In the country with Aunt Sarah, and I didn't dremn " "She said that the most awful thing about It," Mrs. Williams went on. "wa that, though she's going to prosecute the newspapers, mafiy people would al ways believe the story, ntnl " "Yes, I linnplne they will." said Mrs. Schofleld musingly. "Of course you and ' I and everybody who really knows the Iiltts and MaKsworth families under stand tho perfect absurdity of It; but I suppose there are ever so many who'll beliove It. no matter what the Ulttsea and Maasworths Fay." "Hundreds and hundreds,", snld Mrs. Williams. 'I'm afraid It will be a great come-down for them." "I'm afraid so." said Mrs. Schofleld gently. -"A very great one yea, a very, very great one." "Well." observed Mrs. Williams, after a thoughtful pause, "there's only thing to be done, and I suppose It had better be done rlKht away." She glanced towurd the two gentle men. "Certainly," Mr. Schofleld agreed. "But where are they?" "Have you looked In the stable? asked his wife. "I searched It. They ve probably started fur the Far West." "Did you look In the sawdust dm . "No. 1 didn't." "Then that's where t h ey a re Thus. In e esrly twilight, the now historic stable was approached by ! fathers charged to do the only thing to be done. .. They entered the storeroom. In the corner of which stood the saw.lu-t box. a structure eight feel high and ..pen at the tor. ...... "Penrod!" said Mr. Behoneid. "flam!" said Mr. Williams. Nothing disturbed the twilight hush. Hut by means of a ladd.r, broneht from the carrlaa-o-house. Mr. Sch-.tlel.! mounted to the top of the sawdust by. He looked within, and discerned the dim outlines of two oulet flcureu. Thy rose, upon command, descended the ladder sfter Mr. Hchofield. and stood before the authors or their being. h-r bent upon them sinister and threaten lug brows. With hanging hearts and despondent countenances each still or namented with a mustache end an Im perial. Penrod and Sam awaited sri. tence. , Mr. Williams took his son by the ear. "You march home!" he commanded. Sam marched, not looking bstk. and his father followed the small figure Implacably. "Tou goln' to wblO tner quavered Penrod. alone with Justice. "Wah your face at that hydrant, said his father sternly. About 16 minutes later. Penrod. hur. rledly entering the corner druustore two blocks distant, waa astonished to percelvo a familiar form at tho soda counter. "Yay. Penrod." said Hum Williams. "Want some sody? Come on. Ho didn't lick me. He didn't do anything to me at all. He gave mo a quarter." "So"d mine," said Penrod. (Copyright. 1914. by the Wheeler Syndi cate. Inc.) The next l'enrod Schofleld story wi appear next Sunday. 11' Is culitltd "Brothers of Angels."
